Why does Ubud have a royal palace?
Because Bali was never a single kingdom. After the Javanese kingdom of Majapahit (which brought Hinduism, among other things) conquered the island in the 14th century, the so-called Gelgel court dominated Bali until the mid-17th century. Then its authority collapsed and the island fragmented. By the late 18th century nine small kingdoms shared Bali: Klungkung (the most prestigious), Buleleng, Karangasem, Mengwi, Badung, Tabanan, Gianyar, Bangli and Jembrana. Each had its royal residence, the puri. Ubud was not a kingdom but a principality that depended on the kingdom of Gianyar (yes, on top of that there were many principalities), and its princely family lived at Puri Saren.
The Dutch ended these kingdoms between 1846 and 1908. In 1906 and 1908 the rulers of Badung, Tabanan and Klungkung chose a puputan (a final, suicidal stand) rather than surrender. But the royal families did not disappear: in Ubud the family still lives in the palace, largely rebuilt after the 1917 earthquake. The island's eight modern regencies (administrative districts) roughly follow the old kingdoms.
Don't expect Versailles: it is a small local palace. What you'll see:
- Courtyards and pavilions: traditional buildings (bale) around open courtyards, simple in style but richly ornamented. Only part of the compound can be visited because the family lives there. Entry is free in the daytime (allow roughly 8am to 6pm). It isn't a temple, so no sarong is needed.
- Stone carvings: doors, statues and reliefs, many by renowned artists such as I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (regarded as the island's greatest artist).
- The palace temple, Puri Saren Agung, in the same compound. A little further north, Pura Marajan Agung is the royal family's private temple, with a superb gate (closed to visitors). Opposite the palace, another compound has a magnificent banyan tree.
- The evening dance performance in the central courtyard: legong, barong or kecak, depending on the night. Legong, which began as court entertainment, is a dance of young girls with codified gestures (around 200 movements), accompanied by a gamelan.
Tip: book the dance (IDR 80,000-150,000, or US$4.50-9, 90 minutes from 7:30pm) and arrive 45 minutes early for a good seat. The palace is opposite the art market, so you can see both in one morning.
Prices, hours and rules checked in October 2026. Confirm before you travel.